Abstract
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging mental health condition in increasing number of countries as it leads to a variety of negative consequences and poor psychological well-being among adolescents. The awareness and understanding of the risk factors, symptoms, and impact of IGD are relevant to its proper diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this study is to highlight these risk factors based on existing literature that contribute to IGD including its symptoms and impact on the life of the adolescents. Relevant findings were drawn through a scoping review on IGD pertaining to its risk factors, symptoms including neurological dimension, and impact among adolescents. A synthesis of results on studies pertaining to IGD shed light on the priority afforded to IGD and aims to raise awareness on this serious current health issue affecting a vulnerable group of young people.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM) (4th ed., Rev.) Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM) (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.
Armstrong, R., Hall, B. J., Doyle, J., & Waters, E. (2011). Scoping the scope of a Cochrane review. Journal of Public Health, 33(1), 147–150. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdr015.
Bass, P. F. (2015). Gaming addiction when going online goes off-kilter. Contemporary Pediatrics, 32(11), 16.
Billieux, J., Maurage, P., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 156–162.
Blue Whale Challenge: Gujarat youngster commits suicide, Delhi teen cuts himself. (2017, September 3). Hindustantimes. Retrieved from https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/blue-whale-challenge-young-man-ju mps-into-river-in-gujarat-delhi-teen-in-hospital/story-ACfCMdhh8Elj5zByFBM DkO.html
Brunborg, G. S., Mentzoni, R. A., & Frøyland, L. R. (2014). Is video gaming, or video game addiction, associated with depression, academic achievement, heavy episodic drinking, or conduct problems? Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 3, 27–32. https://doi.org/10.1556/JBA.3.2014.002.
Cahill, James (2017, October 28). Top 10 violent crime rates tied to video games. Retrieved from http://listverse.com/2017/10/28/top-10-violent-crimes-tied-to-video-games/ Accessed 19 August 2018.
Caplan, S. E. (2006). Relations among loneliness, social anxiety, and problematic internet use. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 10, 234–242. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2006.9963.
Caplan, S., Williams, D., & Yee, N. (2009). Problematic internet use and psychosocial well-being among MMO players. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(6), 1312–1319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.006.
Cardak, M. (2013). Psychological well-being and internet addiction among university students. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 12(3), 134–141.
Castellaci, F., & Tveito, V. (2018). Internet use and well-being: a survey and a theoretical framework. Research Policy, 47(1), 308–325.
Cheng, C., Cheung, M. W.-L., & Wang, H. (2018). Multi-national comparison of internet gaming disorder and psychosocial problems versus well-being: meta-analysis of 20 countries. Computers in Human Behavior, 153–167.
Davis, R. A. (2001). A cognitive behavior model of pathological internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 187–195.
Dong, G., & Potenza, M. N. (2014). A cognitive-behavioral model of internet gaming disorder: theoretical underpinnings and clinical implications. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 58, 7–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.07.005.
Faust, K. A., & Prochaska, J. J. (2018). Internet gaming disorder: a sign of the times, or time for our attention? Addictive Behaviors, 77, 272–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.07.009.
Freeman, C. B. (2008). Internet gaming addiction. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 4(1), 42–47.
Geisel, O., Banas, R., Schneider, M., Hellweg, R., & Muller, C. A. (2013). Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with internet use disorder. Psychiatry Research, 309, 525–528.
Gentile, D. A., Choo, H., Liau, A., Sim, T., Li, D., Fung, D., & Khoo, A. (2010). Pathological video game use among youths: a two-year longitudinal study. Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-1353.
Gonzales-Bueso, V., Santamaria, J., Fernandez, D., Merino, L., Montero, E., Jimenez-Murcia, S., del Pino-Gutierrez, A., & Ribas, J. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in adolescents: personality, psychopathology and evaluation. Clinical and Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00787.
Gunuc, S. (2017). Peer Influence in Internet and Digital Game Addicted Adolescents: Is Internet/Digital Game Addiction Contagious?, International Journal of High Risk Behaviors and Addiction, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.5812/ijhrba.33681.
Hawi, N., Samaha, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in Lebanon: relationships with age, sleep habits and academic achievement. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.16.
Hussain, Z., Griffiths, M. D., & Baguley, T. (2012). Online gaming addiction: classification, prediction and associated risk factors. Addiction Research and Theory, 20(5), 359–371. https://doi.org/10.3109/16066359.2011.640442.
International Telecommunications Union. (2017, July 31). ITU releases 2017 global information and communication technology facts and figures. Retrieved from http://news.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/facts/ICTFactsFigures2017.pdf Accessed 28 June 2018.
Jelink, M., & Kveton. (2016). Parenting styles and their relation to videogame addiction. International Journal of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, 10(6).
Karacic, S., & Oreskovic, S. (2017). Internet addiction and mental health status of adolescents in Croatia and Germany. Psychiatria Danubina, 29(3), 306–314.
Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2014). A conceptual and methodological critique of internet addiction research: towards a model of compensatory internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 351–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.059.
King, D. L., & Delfabbro, P. H. (2014). The cognitive psychology of internet gaming disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 34(4), 298–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2014.03.006.
King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., Griffiths, M. D., & Gradisar, M. (2011). Assessing clinical trials of Internet addiction treatment: a systematic review and CONSORT evaluation. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 1110–1116.
King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Clinical interventions for technology-based problems: excessive Internet and video game use. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 26(1), 43–56(14). https://doi.org/10.1891/0889-8391.26.1.43.
Kirby, A., Jones, C., & Copello, A. (2014). The impact of massively multiplayer online roles playing games (MMORPGs) on psychological well-being and the role of play motivations and problematic use. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction, 12(1), 36–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-013-9467-9.
Kuss, D. J. (2013). Internet gaming addiction: current perspectives. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 6, 125–137. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S39476.
Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012a). Internet gaming addiction: a systematic review of empirical research. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10, 278–296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-011-9318-5.
Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2012b). Online gaming addiction in children and adolescents: a review of empirical research. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 1(1), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1556/JBA.1.2012.1.1.
Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M. D., & Pontes, H. M. (2017). Chaos and confusion in DSM-5 diagnosis of IGD: issues, concerns and recommendations for clarity in the field. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(2), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.5.2016.062.
Lee, C., & Kim, O. (2017). Predictors of online game addiction among Korean adolescents. Addiction Research and Theory, 25(1), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2016.1198474.
Lee, B. W., & Leeson, P. R. C. (2015). Online gaming in the context of social anxiety. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 29(2), 473–482.
Lemmens, J. S., Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2009). Development and validation of a game addiction scale for adolescents. Media Psychology, 12, 77–95.
Lemmens, J. S., Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2011). Psychosocial causes and consequences of pathological gaming. Computer of Human Behavior, 1(27), 144–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.07.015.
Levac, D., Colquhoun, H., & O’Brien, K. K. (2010). Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implementation Science, 5(1), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69.
Li, H., & Wang, S. (2013). The role of cognitive distortion in online game addiction among Chinese adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(9), 1468–1475.
Liu, M., & Peng, W. (2009). Cognitive and psychological predictors of the negative outcomes associated with playing MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games). Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 1306–1311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.002.
Lobel, A., Engels, R. C. M. E., Stone, L. L., Burk, W. J., & Granic, I. (2017). Video gaming and children’s psychological wellbeing: a longitudinal study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(4), 884–897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0646-z.
Männikkö, N., Billieux, J., & Kääriäinen, M. (2015). Problematic digital gaming behavior and its relation to the psychological, social and physical health of Finnish adolescents and young adults. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 4, 281–288. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.4.2015.040.
Meng, Deng, Wang, Guo, & Li. (2014). The prefrontal dysfunctions in individuals with internet gaming disorder: a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Addiction Biology, 20(4), 799–808. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.12154.
Moreno, M. A., Jelenchick, L. A., & Christakis, D. A. (2013). Problematic internet use among older adolescents. A conceptual framework. Computers in Human Behavior, 89, 1879–1887.
Moudiab, S., & Spada, M. M. (2019). The relative contribution of motives and maladaptive cognitions to levels of Internet gaming disorder. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 9, 100160.
Pallanti, S., Bernardo, S., & Quercioli, L. (2006). The shorter PROMIS questionnaire and the internet addiction scale in the assessment of multiple addictions in a high school population: prevalence and related disability. CNS spectrums, 11(12), 966–974. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1092852900015157.
Park, J. H., Han, D. H., Kim, B.-N., Cheong, J. H., & Lee, Y.-S. (2016). Correlations among social anxiety, self-esteem, impulsivity, and game genre in patients with problematic online game playing. Psychiatry Investigation, 13, 297–304. https://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2016.13.3.297.
Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Measuring DSM-5 Internet gaming disorder: development and validation of a short psychometric scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006.
Rehbein, F., & Baier, D. (2013). Family-, media-, and school-related risk factors of video game addiction. Journal of Media Psychology, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000093.
Rho, M. J., Jeong, J.-E., Chun, J.-W., Cho, H., Jung, D. J., Choi, I. Y., & Kim, D.-J. (2016). Predictors and patterns of problematic internet game use using a decision tree model. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5, 500–509. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.5.2016.051.
Sarchiapone, M., Mandelli, L., Carli, V., Iosue, M., Wasserman, C., Hadlaczky, G., & Hoven, C.W…Wasserman, D. (2014). Hours of sleep in adolescents and its association with anxiety, emotional concerns and suicidal ideation. Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2013.11.780.
Soh, P. C., Chew, K. W., Koay, K. Y., & Ang. (2018). Parents vs peers influence on teenagers’ internet addiction and risky online activities. Telematics and Informatics, 35(1), 225–236.
Spada, M. M. (2014). An overview of problematic internet use. Addictive Behaviors, 39, 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.09.007.
Spada, M. M., & Caselli, G. (2017). The metacognitions about online gaming scale: development and psychometric properties. Addictive Behaviors, 64, 281–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.07.007.
Spekman, M. L. C., Konjin, E., Roelofsma, P. H. M. P., & Griffiths, M. (2013). Gaming addiction: definition and measurement: a large-scale empirical study. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(6), 2150–2155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.05.015.
Stavropoulos, V., Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M. D., Wilson, P., & Motti-Stefanidi, F. (2017). MMORPG gaming and hostility predict Internet addiction symptoms in adolescents: an empirical multilevel longitudinal study. Addictive Behaviors, 64, 294–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.09.001.
Subramaniam, M., Abdin, E., Chua, B. Y., Pang, S., Satghare, P., et al. (2016). Prevalence and correlates of Internet gaming problem among internet users. results from an internet survey. Annals of the Academy of Medicine, 45(5), 174–183.
Van Rooij, A. J., Kuss, D. J., Griffiths, M. D., Shorter, G. W., Schoenmakers, T. M., & Van de Mheen, D. (2014). The (co-) occurrence of problematic video gaming, substance use, and psychosocial problems in adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 3, 157–165. https://doi.org/10.1556/JBA.3.2014.013.
Vollmer, C., Randler, C., Horzum, M. B., & Ayas, T. (2014). Computer game addiction in adolescents ad its relationship to chronotype and personality. SAGE Open, 4(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013518054.
Wan, C. S., & Chiou, W. B. (2007). The motivations of adolescents who are addicted to online games: a cognitive perspective. Adolescence, 42, 179–197.
World Health Organization. (2018a). International Classification of Diseases. Retrieved from https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1448597234 Accessed 5 September 2018.
World Health Organization (2018b). Adolescent Development. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/topics/adolescence/development/e n/ Accessed 19 July 2018.
Young, K. S. (1996). Internet addiction: the emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 1(3), 237–244.
Young, K. S., & Rodgers, R. (1998). The relationship between depression and internet addiction. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 1(1), 25–28.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethics Review Committee Approval
The study received appropriate ethical review and clearance from Mla Med Ethics Review Committee.
Informed Consent
This study does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kochuchakkalackal, G.K., Reyes, M.E.S. An Emerging Mental Health Concern: Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Impact of Internet Gaming Disorder. J. technol. behav. sci. 5, 70–78 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-019-00117-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-019-00117-7